The Alpha of Deadly Heresy, Our Religion Changed

Special Testimonies series b No. 2 - 50.2
"I am instructed to speak plainly. "Meet it," is the word spoken to me. "Meet it firmly, and without delay." But it is not to be met by our taking our working forces from the field to investigate doctrines and points of difference. We have no such investigation to make. In the book "Living Temple" there is presented the alpha of deadly heresies. The omega will follow, and will be received by those who are not willing to heed the warning God has given."

"Man's Present Condition –1855 Chapter title – “IS GOD A PERSON?” (pages 25-34) by J.N. Loughborough
Whatever may be the truth in this matter, it certainly cannot be wrong for us to examine what the Word says respecting it. Many there are that would refrain from the investigation of unpopular truths because the cry of heresy is raised against them. We shall not consider ourselves subjects of the appellation, neither are we prying into the secrets of the Almighty, as we pursue the investigation of this matter. The Bible certainly contains testimony upon this point, and we again repeat, "Things which are revealed belong to us." We inquire then, What saith the Scripture?"

Special Testimonies series b No. 2 - 55-56
"I hesitated and delayed about the sending out of that which the Spirit of the Lord impelled me to write. I did not want to be compelled to present the misleading influence of these sophistries. But in the providence of God, the errors that have been coming in must be met.
Shortly before I sent out the testimonies regarding the efforts of the enemy to undermine the foundation of our faith through the dissemination of seductive theories, I had read an incident about a ship in a fog meeting an iceberg. For several nights I slept but little. I seemed to be bowed down as a cart beneath sheaves. One night a scene was clearly presented before me. A vessel was upon the waters, in a heavy fog. Suddenly the lookout cried, "Iceberg just ahead!" There, towering high above the ship, was a gigantic iceberg. An authoritative voice cried out, "Meet it!" There was not a moment's hesitation. It was a time for instant action. The engineer put on full steam, and the man at the wheel steered the ship straight into the iceberg. With a crash she struck the ice. There was a fearful shock, and the iceberg broke into many pieces, falling with a noise like thunder to the deck. The passengers were violently shaken by the force of the collision, but no lives were lost. The vessel was injured, but not beyond repair. She rebounded from the contact, trembling from stem to stern, like a living creature. Then she moved forward on her way.
Well I knew the meaning of this representation. I had my orders. I had heard the words, like a voice from our Captain, "Meet it!" I knew what my duty was, and that there was not a moment to lose. The time for decided action had come. I must without delay obey the command, "Meet it!"

Biblical Institute a Synopsis of Lectures on the Principle Doctrines of Seventh-day Adventists – 1878 Chapter – The Nature and Destiny of Man – p. 178 par. 1
"But man was made "in the image of God," Gen.1:26, therefore, say our popular theologians, he was made immortal. But this image did not consist in immortality any more than it did in omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, or any other attribute of God. It had reference only to outward shape and form; for God is a person and has a form. Phil.2:6; Heb.1:3; Rev.5:1; Dan.7:9; Ex.24:10; 33:20-23. Where the word image is used in a figurative sense, it is applied to something which we do not possess by nature, but which we must put on. Col.3:10, explained by Eph.4:23,24."

Personality of God Review and Herald June 18, 1861.12-13 (Editor)

"As proof that God is a person, hear his own words to Moses: ‘And the Lord said, Behold there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock; and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by. And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts; but my face shall not be seen.’ Ex.xxxiii, 21-23.

"Here God tells Moses that he shall see his form. To say that God made it appear to Moses that he saw his form when he has no form, is charging God with adding to falsehood a sort of juggling deception upon his servant Moses."

Man's Present Condition –1855 - Chapter title – Is God a Person?
"There is at least one impassable difficulty in the way of those who believe God is immaterial, and heaven is not a literal, located place: they are obliged to admit that Jesus is there bodily, a literal Person.

"Daniel speaking of God, calls him the Ancient of days. Dan. vii, 9. "And the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool." This Personage is said to have a head, and hair; this certainly could not be said of him if he was immaterial and had no form. But Paul's testimony in Heb. i, 3, ought to settle every candid mind in regard to the Personality of God. Speaking of Christ, he says, "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his (the Father's) Person." Here then it is plainly stated God has a Person. Christ is the express image of it. Then we can understand Christ where he says, "He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father." John xiv,”

Early Writings 77.1, 2
"I have frequently been falsely charged with teaching views peculiar to Spiritualism. But before the editor of the Day-Star [SEE APPENDIX.] ran into that delusion, the Lord gave me a view of the sad and desolating effects that would be produced upon the flock by him and others in teaching the spiritual views. I have often seen the lovely Jesus, that He is a person. I asked Him if His Father was a person and had a form like Himself. Said Jesus, "I am in the express image of My Father's person.

"I have often seen that the spiritual view took away all the glory of heaven, and that in many minds the throne of David and the lovely person of Jesus have been burned up in the fire of Spiritualism. I have seen that some who have been deceived and led into this error will be brought out into the light of truth, but it will be almost impossible for them to get entirely rid of the deceptive power of Spiritualism. Such should make thorough work in confessing their errors and leaving them forever."

Early Writings 54.2
"I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and the Son. I gazed on Jesus' countenance and admired His lovely person. The Father's person I could not behold, for a cloud of glorious light covered Him. I asked Jesus if His Father had a form like Himself. He said He had, but I could not behold it, for said He, "If you should once behold the glory of His person, you would cease to exist."

The 1889 SDA Yearbook 147. 1
"As elsewhere stated, Seventh-day Adventists have no creed but the Bible; but they hold to certain well-defined points of faith, for which they feel prepared to give a reason "to every man that asketh" them. The following propositions may be taken as a summary of the principal features of their religious faith, upon which there is, so far as we know, entire unanimity throughout the body. They believe,--

"I. “That there is one God, a personal, spiritual being, the creator of all things, omnipotent, omniscient, and eternal; infinite in wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, truth, and mercy; unchangeable, and is ‘everywhere present by his representative, the Holy Spirit.’ Ps. 139:7”.
The statement here appearing as the very first fundamental belief, (which never changed during Ellen White’s lifetime), does not say that God is omnipresent and stop there. It does not say that God is omnipresent, Christ is omnipresent, and the Holy Spirit is omnipresent, but that God is “everywhere present by his representative, the Holy Spirit”.

“In what way is God everywhere present? Ans. By his representative, his Holy Spirit. Ps 139.7”

Man's Present Condition –1855 Chapter title – Is God a Person? (pages 25-34)
"Whatever may be the truth in this matter, it certainly cannot be wrong for us to examine what the Word says respecting it. Many there are that would refrain from the investigation of unpopular truths because the cry of heresy is raised against them. We shall not consider ourselves subjects of the appellation, neither are we prying into the secrets of the Almighty, as we pursue the investigation of this matter. The Bible certainly contains testimony upon this point, and we again repeat, "Things which are revealed belong to us." We inquire then, What saith the Scripture?
The very testimony we have been examining in regard to man's being formed of the dust in the image of God, proves conclusively that God has a form, although the sentiment is contrary to what we have been taught, while children, from the catechism:

"Question. What is God?
"Answer. An infinite and eternal spirit; one that always was and always will be.
"Q. Where is God?
"A. Everywhere."

"But we inquire, Is not God in one place more than another? Oh no, say you: the Bible says he is a spirit, and if so he must be everywhere alike. Well, if when man dies his spirit goes to God, it must go everywhere. But the Bible certainly represents God as located in heaven. "For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth." Ps. cii, 19. Then certainly heaven cannot be everywhere, for God is represented as looking down from it. "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." 2 Kings ii, 11. But, says one, does not the Bible represent God as everywhere present? Ps. cxxxix, 8, 9, 10. "If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there; if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."

"We reply, the subject is introduced in verse 7, as follows: "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" The Spirit is God's representative. His power is manifested wherever he listeth, through the agency of his Spirit. Christ, when giving the commission to the disciples, says, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature, and lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Now, no one would contend that Christ had been on the earth Personally ever since the disciples commenced to fulfill this commission. But his Spirit has been on the earth; the Comforter that he promised to send. So in the same manner God manifests himself by his Spirit which is also the power through which he works. "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." Rom. viii, 11. Here is a plain distinction made between the Spirit, and God that raises the dead by that Spirit. If the living God is a Spirit in the strictest sense of the term, and at the -0027- same time is in possession of a Spirit, then we have at once the novel idea of the Spirit of a Spirit, something it will take at least a Spiritualist to explain."
 

"Here and Hereafter or Man in Life and Death - Reward of the Righteous and the Destiny of the Wicked – 1897 p. 34
Again: it is urged that God is omnipresent; and how can this be, if he is a person? Answer: He has a representative, his Holy Spirit, by which he is ever present and ever felt in all his universe. "Whither shall I go," asks David, "from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" Ps.139:7. And John saw standing before the throne of God seven lamps, which are declared to be "the seven Spirits of God," and which are "sent forth into all the earth." Rev.4:5; 5:6.
We now invite the attention of the reader to a little of the evidence that may be presented to show that God is a person, and so that man, though of course in an imperfect and finite degree, may be an image, or likeness, of him, as to his bodily form."

Personality of God - Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Assoc.: tract - 186? 8
"We here add the testimony of Christ. "And the Father himself which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape." John v,37. See also Phil.ii,6. To say that the Father has not a personal shape, seems the most pointed contradiction of plain scripture terms.

"OBJECTION. - "God is a Spirit." John iv,24.
ANSWER. - Angels are also spirits [Ps.civ,4], yet those that visited Abram and Lot, lay down, ate, and took hold of Lot's hand. They were spirit beings. So is God a Spirit being.
OBJ. - God is everywhere. Proof. Ps.cxxxix,1-8. He is as much in every place as in any one place.
ANS. - 1. God is everywhere by virtue of his omniscience, as will be seen by the very words of David referred to above. Verses 1-6. "O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising; thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high; I cannot attain unto it."

"2. God is everywhere by virtue of his Spirit, which is his representative, and is manifested wherever he pleases, as will be seen by the very words the objector claims, referred to above. Verses 7-10. "Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."

“God is in heaven”. This we are taught in the Lord's prayer. "Our Father which art in heaven." Matt.vi,9; Luke xi,2. But if God is as much in every place as he is in any one place, then heaven is also as much in every place as it is in any one place, and the idea of going to heaven is all a mistake. We are all in heaven; and the Lord's prayer, according to this foggy theology simply means, Our Father which art everywhere, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is everywhere.

"Again, Bible readers have believed that Enoch and Elijah were really taken up to God in heaven. But if God and heaven be as much in every place as in any one place, this is all a mistake. They were not translated. And all that is said about the chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and the attending whirlwind to take Elijah up into heaven, was a useless parade. They only evaporated, and a misty vapor passed through the entire universe. This is all of Enoch and Elijah that the mind can possibly grasp, admitting that God and heaven are no more in any one place than in every place. But it is said of Elijah that he "went up by a whirlwind into heaven." 2Kings ii,11. And of Enoch it is said that he "walked with God, and was not, for God took him." Gen.v,24.

"Jesus is said to be on the right hand of the Majesty on high." Heb.i,3. "So, then, after the Lord had spoken unto them he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God." Mark xvi,19. But if heaven be everywhere, and God everywhere, then Christ's ascension up to heaven, at the Father's right hand, simply means that he went everywhere! He was only taken up where the cloud hid him from the gaze of his disciples, and then evaporated and went everywhere! So that instead of the lovely Jesus, so beautifully described in both Testaments, we have only a sort of essence dispersed through the entire universe. And in harmony with this rarified theology, Christ's second advent, or his return, would be the condensation of this essence to some locality, say the mount of Olivet! Christ arose from the dead with a physical form. "He is not here," said the angel, "for he is risen as he said." Matt.xxviii,6.

"And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail! And they came and held him by the feet, and they worshiped him." Verse 9.
"Behold my hands and my feet," said Jesus to those who stood in doubt of his resurrection, "that it is I myself. Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of an honey-comb, and he took it and did eat before them." Luke xxiv,39-43.

"After Jesus addressed his disciples on the mount of Olivet, he was taken up from them, and a cloud received him out of their sight. "And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts i,9-11.

"IMMATERIALITY.
"THIS is but another name for nonentity. It is the negative of all things and beings - of all existence. There is not one particle of proof to be advanced to establish its existence. It has no way to manifest itself to any intelligence in heaven or on earth. Neither God, angels, nor men could possibly conceive of such a substance, being, or thing. It possesses no property or power by which to make itself manifest to any intelligent being in the universe. Reason and analogy never scan it, or even conceive of it. Revelation never reveals it, nor do any of our senses witness its existence. It cannot be seen, felt, heard, tasted, or smelled, even by the strongest organs, or the most acute sensibilities. It is neither liquid nor solid, soft nor hard - it can neither extend nor contract. In short, it can exert no influence whatever - it can neither act nor be acted upon. And even if it does exist, it can be of no possible use. It possesses no one, desirable property, faculty, or use, yet, strange to say, immateriality is the modern Christian's God, his anticipated heaven, his immortal self - his all!

"O sectarianism! O atheism!! O annihilation!!! Who can perceive the nice shades of difference between the one and the other? They seem alike, all but in name. The atheist has no God. The sectarian has a God without body or parts. Who can define the difference? For our part we do not perceive a difference of a single hair; they both claim to be the negative of all things which exist - and both are equally powerless and unknown.

"The atheist has no after life, or conscious existence beyond the grave. The sectarian has one, but it is immaterial, like his God; and without body or parts. Here again both are negative, and both arrive at the same point. Their faith and hope amount to the same; only it is expressed by different terms.

"Again, the atheist has no heaven in eternity. The sectarian has one, but it is immaterial in all its properties, and is therefore the negative of all riches and substances. Here again they are equal, and arrive at the same point.

"As we do not envy them the possession of all they claim, we will now leave them in the quiet and undisturbed enjoyment of the same, and proceed to examine the portion still left for the despised materialist to enjoy.

"What is God? He is material, organized intelligence, possessing both body and parts. Man is in his image.

"What is Jesus Christ? He is the Son of God, and is like his Father, being "the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person." He is a material intelligence, with body, parts, and passions; possessing immortal flesh and immortal bones.

"What are men? They are the offspring of Adam. They are capable of receiving intelligence and exaltation to such a degree as to be raised from the dead with a body like that of Jesus Christ, and to possess immortal flesh and bones. Thus perfected, they will possess the material universe, that is, the earth, as their "everlasting inheritance." With these hopes and prospects before us, we say to the Christian world who hold to immateriality, that they are welcome to their God - their life - their heaven, and their all. They claim nothing but that which we throw away; and we claim nothing but that which they throw away. Therefore, there is no ground for quarrel or contention between us.

We choose all substance - what remains
The mystical sectarian gains;
All that each claims, each shall possess,
Nor grudge each other's happiness.
An immaterial God they choose,
For such a God we have no use;
An immaterial heaven and hell,
In such a heaven we cannot dwell.
We claim the earth, the air, and sky,
And all the starry worlds on high;
Gold, silver, ore, and precious stones,
And bodies made of flesh and bones.
Such is our hope, our heaven, our all,
When once redeemed from Adam's fall;
All things are ours, and we shall be,
The Lord's to all eternity."

THE SABBATH GOD (RH March 7, 1854) By James White
"Does not God say he fills immensity of space? We answer, No. Ps.cxxxix,7,8. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there, &c. God by his Spirit may fill heaven and earth, &c. Some confound God with his Spirit, which makes confusion. Ps.xi,4. The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, &c. Hab.ii,20; Ps.cii,19. For he hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth. 1Pet.iii,12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers, &c. Ps.lxxx,1. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. Ps.xcix,1; Isa.xxxvii,16."

THE SUNDAY GOD. (RH March 7, 1854) By James White
"We will make a few extracts, that the reader may see the broad contrast between the God of the Bible brought to light through Sabbath-keeping, and the god in the dark through Sunday-keeping. Catholic Catechism Abridged by the Rt. Rev. John Dubois, Bishop of New York. Page 5. Ques. Where is God? Ans. God is everywhere. Q. Does God see and know all things? A. Yes, he does know and see all things. Q. Has God any body? A. No; God has no body, he is a pure Spirit. Q. Are there more Gods than one? A. No; there is but one God. Q. Are there more persons than one in God? A. Yes; in God there are three persons. Q. Which are they? A. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. Q. Are there not three Gods? A. No; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, are all but one and the same God.

"The first article of the Methodist Religion, p. 8. There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness: the maker and preserver of all things, visible and invisible. And in unity of this God-head, there are three persons of one substance, power and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

"In this article like the Catholic doctrine, we are taught that there are three persons of one substance, power and eternity making in all one living and true God, everlasting without body or parts. But in all this we are not told what became of the body of Jesus who had a body when he ascended, who went to God who "is everywhere" or nowhere. Doxology. - "To God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, three in one."

Ministry of Healing - Ellen White - 417.2
"The Bible shows us God in His high and holy place, not in a state of inactivity, not in silence and solitude, but surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of holy beings, all waiting to do His will. Through these messengers He is in active communication with every part of His dominion. By His Spirit He is everywhere present. Through the agency of His Spirit and His angels He ministers to the children of men."
Education - Ellen White - 132.2
"The greatness of God is to us incomprehensible. "The Lord's throne is in heaven" (Psalm 11:4); yet by His Spirit He is everywhere present. He has an intimate knowledge of, and a personal interest in, all the works of His hand.
’Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!’
’Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art here: If I make my bed in the grave. (see Psalm 139:8, R.V.; Job 26:6, R.V., margin), behold, Thou art there.’ ‘If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall Thy hand lead me, And Thy right hand shall hold me.’ Psalms 113:5, 6; 139:7-10. ‘Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways. . . . Thou hast beset me behind and before, And laid Thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it." Psalm 139:2-6, R.V.’” {Ed 132.2}

Ellen White - Review and Herald 3/08/06.17-19
"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father; [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

"And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you in all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when we shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”

"He who denies the personality of God and of his Son Jesus Christ, is denying God and Christ. “If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.” If you continue to believe and obey the truths you first embraced regarding the personality of the Father and the Son, you will be joined together with him in love. There will be seen that union for which Christ prayed just before his trial and crucifixion:–
Ellen White - The New York Indicator 2/07/06

"One thing it is certain is soon to be realized, the great apostasy, which is developing and increasing and waxing stronger, and will continue to do so until the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout. We are to hold fast the first principles of our denominated faith, and go forward from strength to increased faith. Ever we are to keep the faith that that has been substantiated by the Holy Spirit of God from the earlier events of our experience, until the present time. We need now larger breadth, and deeper, more earnest, unwavering faith in the leadings of the Holy Spirit. If we needed the manifest proof of the Holy Spirit’s power to confirm truth in the beginning after the passing of the time, we need to-day all the evidence in the confirmation of the truth, when souls are departing from the faith and giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. There must not be any languishing of soul now.

"If ever there was a period of time when we needed the Holy Spirit’s power in our discourses, in our prayers, in every action proposed, it is now. We are not to stop at the first experience, but while we bear the same message to the people, this message is to be strengthened and enlarged. We are to see and realize the importance of the message, made certain by its divine origin. We are to follow on to know the Lord, that we may know that his going forth is prepared as the morning.

Our souls need the quickening from the Source of all power. We may be strengthened and confirmed in the past experience that holds us to the essential points of truth which have made us what we are,–Seventh-day Adventists.

"The past fifty years have not dimmed one jot or principle of our faith as we received the great and wonderful evidences that were made certain to us in 1844, after the passing of the time. The languishing souls are to be confirmed and quickened according to his word. And many of the ministers of the gospel and the Lord’s physicians will have their languishing souls quickened according to the word. Not a word is changed or denied. That which the Holy Spirit testified to as truth after the passing of the time, in our great disappointment, is the solid foundation of truth. Pillars of truth were revealed, and we accepted the foundation principles that have made us what we are – Seventh-day Adventists, keeping the commandments of God and having the faith of Jesus."

Living Temple (1903) p. 29, 30
'"But' says one, 'this thought destroys the personality of God. Do you not believe in a personal God?' Most certainly. An infinite, divine, personal being is essential religion. Worship requires someone to love, to obey, to trust. Belief in a personal God is the very core of the Christian Religion. The conception of God as the All-Energy, the infinite power, an all-pervading Presence, is too vast for the human mind to grasp; there must be something more tangible, more restricted, upon which to center the mind in worship. It is for this reason that Christ came to us in the image of God's personality, the second Adam, to show us by his life of love and self-sacrifice the character and the personality of God. We can approach God only through Christ."

Living Temple (1903) p. 32
"Here is a most marvelous description of God. His hand, his arm, his bosom are mentioned. He is described as 'sitting on the circle of the earth,' he metes out heaven with the span, he holds the waters in the hollow of his hand; so there can be no question that God is a definite, real personal being. A mere abstract principle, a law, a force could not have a hand, an arm. God is a person, though too great for us to comprehend, as Job says, 'God is great and we know him not.' "

The Miracle of Life (second edition of Living Temple) {1904} p. 5, 6
"A distinct and earnest purpose in the preparation of this volume has been to present a true philosophy of life in showing man's utter and momentary dependence upon a personal and beneficent Creator for all he is and all that it is possible for him to be, even for the performance of his bodily functions, for the creation and care of each individual cell of his body, and for the food and other necessaries required to maintain his existence. Such an expression seems necessary at the present time, not only as a means of instruction in right living, but as a protection against the flood of mysticism, which, under the name of theosophy, pantheism, so-called Christian science, metaphysics, and various other guises, is deluging the world, even insinuating itself into the teaching of popular religious teachers, and tainting a considerable part of the religious teachers, and tainting a considerable part of the religious literature of the day."

The Miracle of Life {1904} p. 40, 41
"Man in his ignorance, in his efforts to account for the phenomena about him by so-called natural causes, in other words, in a vain and futile attempt to get along without God, to leave deity out of his philosophy, has actually made a deity of that hypothetical abstraction, nature, and has ascribed to nature the very powers and qualities which he has denied to God. Neglecting the real, the true God, men have thus erected a false god and have become idolaters in their worship of nature. Various forms of pantheism have thus become widely diffused, even among Christian people, and pantheistic and often heathen philosophies have insinuated themselves into the beliefs of orthodoxy. The only antidote for these false doctrines is the recognition of that most fundamental of all religious beliefs, namely, that there is one great source of all life and power, Jehovah, the 'God and Father of us all.'"

God in Man No 1 General Conference Daily Bulletin, 32nd Session – Lincoln, NE, February 19, 1897. - Vol. 7. - No. 6. Presentation by J. H. KELLOGG, M. D. - Published daily by the General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists (Monday evening) February 15, 1897
"We have here the evidence of a universal presence, an intelligent presence, an all-wise presence, an all-powerful presence, a presence by the aid of which every atom of the universe is kept in touch with every other atom. This force that holds all things together, that is everywhere present, that thrills throughout the whole universe, that acts instantaneously through boundless space, can be nothing else than God himself. What a wonderful thought that this same God is in us and in everything.

"Scientific men have almost unanimously arrived at the conclusion that this one great force in the universe, this which Mr. Spencer calls the unknowable intelligence, is nothing else than God himself; that matter in all its forms is simply a manifestation of God.
What a wonderful thought, that this mighty God that keeps the whole universe in order, is in us! And what an astonishing thing, that any man should dare to rebel against this mighty God, to assert his own will in opposition to God's will! And what an amazing thing, that this almighty, all-powerful, and all-wise God should make himself a servant of man by giving man a free will - power to direct the energy within his body!"

Studies in the Book of Hebrews. - No. 7. Page 85 – 87 (Tuesday Afternoon, Feb. 16, 1897.)
General Conference Daily Bulletin, 32nd Session – Lincoln, NE, February 19, 1897. - Vol. 7. - No. 6. Presentation by E. J. Waggoner - Published daily by the General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists

"Do you not see that the question of division of power is simply the question, How many gods are there? There is one God, and only one.
Well it is wonderful to me, every day I live, and the longer I live the more wonderful it is to me, into how small a space, and how simple a truth, all the truth is resolved. Whoever comes to the recognition of this fact, and holds himself to it as all the truth there is in the universe, - God is, and there is no other; and when we see God is, he that cometh to God must believe that he is. That is his name. - I Am. What? - I Am, absolute. When we come face to face with that, it is a wonderful thought. God is. Where? - He is. Go where you will in the universe, and there it can be said, He is. You know it says in the one hundred and thirty-ninth Psalm:-

"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there [that is about the only space that some people believe that he has]; and if I make my bed in hell, [that is in the depths, the heart of the earth,] behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
But when you take it out of there, it will not hold itself up. It just yields - it is gone. If you even remove the clod, it cannot stand. That blade of grass is not such a little thing after all, but it is undeniable that there was a wonderful power manifested in that blade of grass. But what was that power? - God's own life, his own personal presence there, doing in the grass just what he designed for the grass; it was God that was working in it, both to will and to do of his own good pleasure."

Living Temple p. 29
"So there is present in the tree a power which creates and maintains it, a tree-maker in the tree, a flower-maker in the flower,-a divine architect who understands every law of proportion,..."

The Root of the False Teaching Says one, 'God may be present by His Spirit, or by His power, but certainly God himself cannot be present everywhere at once.' We answer: How can power be separated from the source of power? Where God's Spirit is at work, where God's power is manifested, God himself is actually and truly present" Living Temple (1903) p. 28

"The Personality of God by Stephen Haskell - Review and Herald 10/8/1903
Therefore we repeat what we previously said, to deny the personality of God, is to deny the existence of the sanctuary in the heavens; for there God dwells. It is to deny the existence of the angels; for they are his throne. It is to deny the law of God; for it is the foundation of his throne. It is to deny the existence of Satan; for he is a fallen angel. It makes the light and life which God created, and which proceeds from him, whether it be in the grass or in cats or dogs or in man kind, to be the god. Since man, however, is the highest form of light and life, he necessarily becomes the supreme deity. It leads men to worship the creature more than the Creator. We lift a warning voice against any such doctrine, from whatever source it comes. We say the Bible, and the Bible only, shall be our creed. In it is salvation."

"You, Elder Daniels, and others have spoken about a fine line of distinction, but I could not quite see what it was, but this statement by Sister White makes it clear to me. The difference is this: When we say God is in the tree, the word 'God' is understood in that the Godhead is in the tree, God the Father, God the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit, whereas the proper understanding in order that wholesome conceptions should be preserved in our minds, is that God the Father sits upon his throne in heaven where God the Son is also; while God's life, or Spirit or presence is the all pervading power which is carrying out the will of God in all the universe."

In the following statement written 3 days later, he elaborated a little more on his understanding, using Ellen White's writings to justify his position.

As far as I can fathom, the difficulty which is found in The Living Temple, the whole thing may be simmered down to the question: Is the Holy Ghost a person? You say no. I had supposed the Bible said this for the reason that the personal pronoun 'he' is used in speaking of the Holy Ghost. Sister White uses the pronoun 'he' and has said in so many words that the Holy Ghost is the third person of the Godhead. How the Holy Ghost can be the third person and not be a person at all is difficult for me to see.”

"He [J.H. Kellogg] then stated that his former views regarding the trinity had stood in his way of making a clear and absolutely correct statement; but that within a short time he had come to believe in the trinity and could now see pretty clearly where all the difficulty was, and believed that he could clear the matter up satisfactorily. He told me that he now believed in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost; and his view was that it was God the Holy Ghost, and not God the Father, that filled all space, and every living thing. He said that if he had believed this before writing the book, he could have expressed his views without giving the wrong impression the book now gives."

"I believe this Spirit of God to be a personality you don’t. But this is purely a question of definition. I believe the Spirit of God is a personality; you say, No, it is not a personality. Now the only reason why we differ is because we differ in our ideas as to what a personality is. Your idea of personality is perhaps that of semblance to a person or a human being."

"There is in it [Kelloggs teachings] the beginning of theories which, carried to their logical conclusion, would destroy faith in the sanctuary question and in the atonement. I do not think that Dr. Kellogg saw this clearly. I do not think that he realized that in laying his new foundation of faith, he was directing his steps toward infidelity." Letter 33, 1904, p. 2. (To Brethren Faulkhead and Salisbury, Jan. 17, 1904.) Released February, 1963. [word in brackets by the White Estate]

"To Union Conference Presidents, and Leading Medical Missionaries:--
Before leaving Washington for Berrien Springs, I was instructed upon some points regarding the work at Battle Creek. In the night season I was shown a meeting. Dr. Kellogg was speaking, and he was filled with enthusiasm regarding his subject. His associate physicians and ministers of the gospel were present. The subject upon which he was speaking was life, and the relation of God to all living things. In his presentation he cloaked the matter somewhat, but in reality he was presenting scientific theories which are akin to pantheism. He presented them as being of the highest value.

Ellen White - Special Testimonies Series B No.6 43.4 – 44.0 Let the world go into spiritualism, into theosophy, into pantheism, if they choose. We are to have nothing to do with this deceptive branch of Satan's work. The pleasing sentiments of pantheism will lead many souls into forbidden paths. God forbids his servants to leave their fields of labor to enter into a discussion of these sentiments. The last testimony published opens to our people the danger of these theories, and the testimonies published in the future will urge still more strongly the necessity of lifting up and carrying high the banner on which are inscribed the words, "The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." God's people are to let no one take this banner from their hands. I am instructed that false theories will be presented, and that some in the medical missionary work, who have been wavering, will yield up the faith, and give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils."

"In the book "Living Temple" there is presented the alpha of deadly heresies”

"God acts everywhere, and, therefore, is everywhere; for it is an utter impossibility that any being, created or uncreated, should work where it is not." II.1
"Nay, and we cannot believe the omnipotence of God, unless we believe his omnipresence; for, seeing, as was observed before, nothing can act where it is not, -- if there were any space where God was not present, he would not be able to do anything there. Therefore, to deny the omnipresence of God implies, likewise, the denial of his omnipotence. To set bounds to the one is undoubtedly to set bounds to the other also." II.6

"But the thing, which I here particularly mean is this: The knowledge of the Three-One God is interwoven with all true Christian faith; with all vital religion.
From what we know of John Wesley, he lived up to the light he had, but like nearly all the Reformers, he did not make it all the way out of Babylon. The above statement is mere speculation. Who are we to speculate where God's presence is? While power cannot be separated from it's source, in a sense, it is not necessarily true in every case, that "wherever God's Spirit is at work, where God's power is manifested, God himself is actually and truly present." Christ proved this when He healed the centurion’s servant from a great distance by speaking the word only. Christ saw Nathaniel under the fig tree from a distance. He described to Nathaniel how he did it; through his ministering spirits which He says would be ascending and descending on (or by) the son of man."
 

“There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation.” Seventh-day Adventists Believe p. 16
“God is omnipresent (Ps 139:7-12; Heb 4:13), transcending all space. Yet He is fully present in every part of space. He is eternal (Ps 90:2; Rev 1:8), exceeding the limits of time, yet is fully present in every moment of time.” Seventh-day Adventists Believe p. 20

“Away with ‘heavenly geography . . . celestial furniture . . . books, angelic witnesses’ and all such ‘trappings.’
“rather than trying to give a demonstration of a heavenly change in geographical location, which is impossible in view of the omnipresence of God” Desmond Ford as quoted in “China Letters p. 101 (based on material in four cassette recordings dated 3/2/1979; April 1980 Radio Interview; 9/6/1980; and Part I of 3/7/1981)

Q. “Is God everywhere?” Minister - A. “Yes.” Little Girl - Q. “Does that mean that heaven is everywhere?” Minister - A. “W e l l, yes” The minister then proceeded with a sermon on the Trinity.

Pantheist - “You believe that God is in your heart don’t you?” My friend, a Christian answered, - “Yes”. The Pantheist proceeded to say: I believe so too. I believe that God is in you, God is in me, God is in everybody. Everybody is God. Everything is God. Good is God, bad is God. A cup of ocean water is part of God.

"I have been instructed by the heavenly messenger that some of the reasoning in the book, "Living Temple," is unsound and that this reasoning would lead astray the minds of those who are not thoroughly established on the foundation principles of present truth. It introduces that which is naught but speculation in regard to the personality of God and where His presence is. No one on this earth has a right to speculate on this question. The more fanciful theories are discussed, the less, men will know of God and of the truth that sanctifies the soul."

"I am compelled to speak in denial of the claim that the teachings of “Living Temple” can be sustained by statements from my writings. There may be in this book expressions and sentiments that are in harmony with my writings. And there may be in my writings many statements which, taken from their connection, and interpreted according to the mind of the writer of “Living Temple,” would seem to be in harmony with the teachings of this book. This may give apparent support to the assertion that the sentiments in “Living Temple” are in harmony with my writings. But God forbid that this sentiment should prevail."

"Nothing can happen in any part of the universe without the knowledge of Him who is omnipresent. Not a single event of human life is unknown to our Maker. While Satan is constantly devising evil, the Lord our God overrules all, so that it will not harm his obedient, trusting children. The same power that controls the boisterous waves of the ocean can hold in check all the power of rebellion and of crime. God says to one as to the other, "Thus far shalt thou go, and no farther."

"Had God desired to be represented as dwelling personally in the things of nature,--in the flower, the tree, the spire of grass,--would not Christ have spoken of this to His disciples when He was on the earth? But never in the teaching of Christ is God thus spoken of. Christ and the apostles taught clearly the truth of the existence of a personal God."

"Our condition through sin is unnatural, and the power that restores us must be supernatural, else it has no value. There is but one power that can break the hold of evil from the hearts of men, and that is the power of God in Jesus Christ. Only through the blood of the Crucified One is there cleansing from sin. His grace alone can enable us to resist and subdue the tendencies of our fallen nature. The spiritualistic theories concerning God make His grace of no effect. If God is an essence pervading all nature, then He dwells in all men; and in order to attain holiness, man has only to develop the power within him."

"'The Lord's throne is in heaven;' yet by His spirit he is everywhere present." Ed 132.2.

"The Lord puts His own Spirit into the seed…" 8T 325.4

"Over every man good and evil angels strive. It is the man himself who determines which shall win. I call upon the ministers of Christ to press home upon the understanding of all who come within the reach of their voice, the truth of the ministration of angels. Do not indulge in fanciful speculations. The written Word is our only safety. We must pray as did Daniel, that we may be guarded by heavenly intelligences." Letter 201, 1899.

"Dr. Paulson's mind is becoming confused.... Extreme views of "God in nature" undermine the foundation truths of the personality of God and the ministration of angels. A confused mass of spiritualistic ideas takes the place of faith in a personal God.... Let Dr. Paulson take heed that he be not deceived. He may say, "Sister White's own words are repeated in Dr. Kellogg's teachings." True; but misinterpreted and misconstrued." Letter 271b, 1903.

"For the past fifty years I have been receiving intelligence regarding heavenly things. But the instruction given me has now been used by others to justify and endorse theories in Living Temple that are of a character to mislead. May the Lord teach me how to meet such things. If necessary I can charge all such work as coming directly from Satan to make the words God has given me testify to a lie.

"Nashville, July 4. We are very sorry to read the article written by Elder Tenney in the Medical Missionary on the Sanctuary question. The enemy has obtained the victory over one minister. If this minister had remained away from the seducing influences that Satan is exerting at the present time in Battle Creek, he might yet be standing on vantage ground.

"We are very sorry to see the result of gathering a large number to Battle Creek. Ministers who have been believers in the foundation truths that have made us what we are--Seventh-day Adventists; ministers who went to Battle Creek to teach and strengthen the truths of the Bible, are now, when old and gray-headed, turning from the grand truths of the Bible, and accepting infidel sentiments. This means that the next step will be a denial of a personal God, pulling down the bulwarks of the faith that is plainly revealed in the Scriptures. The sanctuary question is the foundation of our faith."

"CHAPTER II. Of God, and of the Holy Trinity.

I. There is but one only living and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit,
invisible, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most

III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.

"Chapter 2: Of God and of the Holy Trinity
1._____The Lord our God is but one only living and true God; whose subsistence is in and of himself, infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; "

“There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing, above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation.” Seventh-day Adventists Believe p. 16

“God is omnipresent (Ps 139:7-12; Heb 4:13), transcending all space. Yet He is fully present in every part of space. He is eternal (Ps 90:2; Rev 1:8), exceeding the limits of time, yet is fully present in every moment of time.” Seventh-day Adventists Believe p. 20

"1. God, the Father
There is but one God, the eternal Father, the Creator; a personal, spiritual Being, infinite in love and wisdom, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, immortal. Exodus 20:2, 3; Isaiah 45:5-12, 18, 20-22; John
4:24; Psalm 139:1-12.

"3. The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is Christ's representative upon earth, and is one in purpose with the Father and the Son. He is the Regenerator in the work of redemption. These three persons God, the Father; Jesus Christ, the Son; and the Holy Spirit are the Godhead. John 3:5-8; 14:16, 26; 16:7-13; 1 Corinthians 2:10, 11; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Matthew 28:19."

"Q. 12. Which are the divine personal attributes?
R. …And so the holy apostolic orthodox-catholic Church teaches the belief and confession in one God in the most Holy Trinity, concerning which the First Council at Nicaea and the Second Ecumenical Council, Constantinople, the first in the city of that name, spoke.
Q. 13. Which are the divine attributes of essence?
R. The divine attributes of essence are those which conform equally to God the Father as well as to the Son and the Holy Spirit: that God is eternal, that he is without beginning and end, that he is good, that he is the creator and governor, present everywhere and filling all things, uncircumscribible.
Q. 15. If God is uncircumscribed and everywhere, how can he be said to be in heaven and particularly in certain other places?
R. It is not as if heaven or Sion or any other place circumscribes the immaterial and incorporeal divinity, because God has no place, but is unto himself a place."

"Ques. Where is God?
Ans. God is everywhere.
Q. Does God see and know all things?
A. Yes, he does know and see all things.
Q. Has God any body?
A. No; God has no body, he is a pure Spirit.
Q. Are there more Gods than one?
A. No; there is but one God.
Q. Are there more persons than one in God?
A. Yes; in God there are three persons.
Q. Which are they? A. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.
Q. Are there not three Gods?
A. No; the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, are all but one and the same God."

"There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom and goodness: the maker and preserver of all things, visible and invisible. And in unity of this God-head, there are three persons of one substance, power and eternity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost."

"This church confesses the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This church accepts the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of this church."

…And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than the other; but all three persons are in themselves, co-eternal and coequal; and so we must worship the Trinity in unity and the one God in three persons. Whoever wants to be saved should think thus about the Trinity.

"The past fifty years have not dimmed one jot or principle of our faith as we received the great and wonderful evidences that were made certain to us in 1844, after the passing of the time. The languishing souls are to be confirmed and quickened according to his word. And many of the ministers of the gospel and the Lord’s physicians will have their languishing souls quickened according to the word. Not a word is changed or denied. That which the Holy Spirit testified to as truth after the passing of the time, in our great disappointment, is the solid foundation of truth. Pillars of truth were revealed, and we accepted the foundation principles that have made us what we are – Seventh-day Adventists, keeping the commandments of God and having the faith of Jesus."

"He who denies the personality of God and of his Son Jesus Christ, is denying God and Christ. “If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.” If you continue to believe and obey the truths you first embraced regarding the personality of the Father and the Son, you will be joined together with him in love. There will be seen that union for which Christ prayed just before his trial and crucifixion:"

"After the passing of the time in 1844 we searched for the truth as for hidden treasure. I met with the brethren, and we studied and prayed earnestly. Often we remained together until late at night, and sometimes through the entire night, praying for light and studying the Word. Again and again these brethren came together to study the Bible, in order that they might know its meaning, and be prepared to teach it with power. When they came to the point in their study where they said, "We can do nothing more," the Spirit of the Lord would come upon me. I would be taken off in vision, and a clear explanation of the passages we had been studying would be given me, with instruction as to how we were to labor and teach effectively. Thus light was given that helped us to understand the scriptures in regard to Christ, his mission, and his priesthood. A line of truth extending from that time to the time when we shall enter the city of God, was made plain to me, and I gave to others the instruction that the Lord had given me."